Life of Emanuel Swedenborg: Together with a brief synopsis of his writings, both philosophical and theologicalWhite, William
Religion
Life of Emanuel Swedenborg: Together with a brief synopsis of his writings, both philosophical and theological
White, William
Mystics -- Sweden -- Biography; Swedenborg, Emanuel, 1688-1772
Thought is imputed to no one, but will.
Chapter XII. is a luminous exposition of the uses of Baptism. Without
a knowledge of the spiritual sense of the Word, it is shown no one can
know what the two sacraments, Baptism and the Holy Supper, involve and
effect. The washing which is called baptism, signifies spiritual washing,
which is a purification from evils and falses, and thus regeneration.
As circumcision of the heart was represented by circumcision of the
foreskin, baptism was instituted in lieu of it, to the end that an
internal Church might succeed the external, in which all and everything
was a figure of the internal Church. The first use of baptism is
introduction into the Christian Church, and at the same time insertion
among Christians in the spiritual world. The second use of baptism is,
that the Christian may know and acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ the
Redeemer and Saviour, and may follow Him. The third and final use of
baptism is, that man may be regenerated. By the baptism of John, a way
was prepared that Jehovah the Lord might come down into the world, and
accomplish the work of redemption.
Chapter XIII. is taken up with a like description of the uses of the
Holy Supper. It is shown that it is impossible for any one, without an
acquaintance with the correspondences of natural things with spiritual,
to know the uses and benefits of the Holy Supper. An acquaintance with
correspondences serves to discover the signification of the Lord’s flesh
and blood, and that the bread and wine signify the same; namely, that
the Lord’s flesh and the bread signify the divine good of His love, and
likewise all the good of charity, and that His blood and the wine signify
the divine truth of His wisdom, and likewise all the truth of faith,
and that to eat signifies to appropriate. By understanding this, it may
clearly be comprehended, that the Holy Supper contains, both universally
and particularly, all things of the Church, and all things of heaven.
In the Holy Supper the Lord is entirely present, with the whole of His
redemption. The Lord is present, and opens heaven to those who approach
the Holy Supper worthily; and He is also present with those who approach
it unworthily, but does not open heaven to them; consequently, as baptism
is an introduction into the Church, so the Holy Supper is an introduction
into heaven. Those approach the Holy Supper worthily, who are under the
influence of faith toward the Lord, and of charity toward their neighbor,
thus, who are regenerate. Those who approach the Holy Supper worthily,
are in the Lord, and He in them; consequently, conjunction with the
Lord is effected by the Holy Supper. The Holy Supper is, to the worthy
receivers, as a signing and sealing that they are sons of God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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